Weighing-scale.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. G. BLESSING. WEIGHING SCALE.

APPLICATION FILED 1111111.18, 1905.

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5J ahy QU Join Q PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. G. BLESSING. WEIGHING SCALE.

APPLIUATION FILED mais, 1905.

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arr-nn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN G. BLESSING, OF OHIOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH COCHRAN, OF OHIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

WEIGHING-SCALE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I atented May 22, 1906.

Application filed March 18,1905. Serial No. 250.817.

T0 @ZZ whom, t 71mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. BLnssrNe, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in VVeighing-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to weighing-scales,

and is related in general to the companion application filed by me this day, Serial No.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dial rotatable about a horizontal axis and having a number-surface greater than the surface which would be afforded by a fiat dial having the same exterior diameter.

I am not the inventor of and do not claim the method. of constructing the scalo-beam rack nor the pivoting thereof to the scalebeam.

I attain my object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a complete machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional v iew taken on line 3 8 in Fig. 2. Fig. I is a face view of the cap and dial looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing the construction of the guide or keeper for preventing the scale-beam rack from becoming unmeshed from the dial-shaft pinion. Fig. 6 is a side view of the computing-dial indicating the preferred general arrangement of the numbers thereon.

Similar letters refer to similar throughout the several views.

The scale-beam a is fulcrumed upon the post b of the mainframe I) and carries at one extremity the scale-pan c and at the opposite extremity means for transmitting motion to the dial-shaft. In the preferred construction here shown the transmitting means consists of a rack d, which is pivoted to the extremity of the scale-beam and conforms to the aro of a circle having as a radius the distance between the scale-beam fulcrum and the point of attachment of said rack to the scale-beam. Said rack is adapted to mesh with the pinion e, rigidly secured to shaft f, which lies horizontal and has a stationary bearing at each extremity. In order that the rack d may at all times tend to approach parts said pinion e to make close contact therewith and avoid backlash, it is desirable to provide said rack with a weighted arm d', extending approximately at right angles thereto, as best shown in Fig. l. A stationary guard or keeper d2 should. be provided for preventing said rack d from becoming unmeshed from pinion e.

The dial g is conical and concentric with shaft f and is rigidly mounted thereon, so as to rotate therewith. Arranged in concentric circles upon said dial are series of productnumbers g after the well-known manner of computing-scales and as more fully described in my companion application above referred to. It is desirable also to provide a series g2 of numbers running from Zero up for indicating the weight in pounds. These are best placed at the outer peripheral edge of the dial concentric with the product-numbers and having the Zero upon the same elemental line with the zeros of the product-numbers.

The reading member 7L has marked thereon a series of numbers representing multipliers h or, in the case of the ordinary computingscale, the price-per-pound numbers. These numbers are so arranged that each one will come adjacent to its respective row of product-numbers on the dial. A readingline h2 should b e marked or formed upon said reading member for affording a line of sight against which the product-numbers may be read. In the preferred form said reading member consists of a strip of glass supported at a point adjacent to and in front of the dial, as mentioned in my companion application.

In order to protect the dial, it is desirable to provide a cap i, which is conical in form and conforms closely to the configuration of the dial. Said cap may be, if desired, integral with the frame I), as illustrated in Fig. 3.

cured to shaft f or dial g, or both, so as to IOO rotate therewith, and has, preferably, at or near its peripheral edge a series of numbers ruiming from zero up and intended to indicate pounds weight.

For protection it is desirable to inclose the dial as well as dial g, and for this purpose a plate 7c, preferably similar in outline and of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of dial j, is secured in front of the latter by being fastened to framework b or other sta tionary part of the device. In order to exhibit the weight-numbers j at the readingpoint, a slot or opening k is formed in said plate lc, which opening may be glass covered, if desired.

I have described dial g as being conical with its axis of revolution coincident with shaft f.. It is obvious, however, that said dial need not constitute a complete cone with a pointed apex. On the contrary, any right frustum of a cone will operate in the same manner for the same purpose.

In my companion application I have referred to the advantage in employing a conical dial which affords a greater surface for receiving numbers than is afforded by a `flat dial of the same diameter. This advantage of course is also inherent in my present device, and a second advantage is also present-to wit, the plane of the reading member and adjacent parts of the dial approximately perpendicular to the line of vision of an observer looking from a point above and at the side of the scale. This not only avoids error in reading due to parallax, but increases convenience in reading. There is an additional important advantage in mounting the conical dial upon a horizontal shaft, for it becomes unnecessary to employ bevel or miter gears for transmitting motion from the scalebeam to the dial-shaft.

IVith the construction here shown the rack d, which is pivoted directly to the scalebeain, meshes directly with the spur-pinion c, which is concentric with and rigidly secured directly to the dial-shaft There is thus produced a scale having two dials which may be read from opposite sides of the scale, one of them having a reading portion oblique to the horizontal, and yet the whole employs but a single gear connection, the consequence being that backlash is reduced to a minimum.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

l. In a weighing-scale, the combination with the scale-beam and beam-support, of a horizontal dial-shaft, a conical dial concentric with said shaft, a flat circular dial disposed transversely to and concentric with said shaft, a casing for concealing all but a certain portion of said dials for facilitatingthe reading thereof, and connections between the scale-beam and said dials for rotating the latter, said fiat dial beingl coincident with the base of the conical d.' al, the two dials thereby constituting a sngle cone.

2. In a. weighngwscale, the combination with the scale-beam and beam-support, of a horizontal dial-shaft, a conical dial concentric with said shaft, a flat dial concentric with said shaft and lying transverse thereto, said dials rotating as a single piece and the flat dial forming the base of a cone in which theconical dial forms the sides, and connecting means including gears for rotating said dials from the motion of the scale-beam, said connections lying outside of the cone formed by said two dials.

3. In a weighing-scale, the combination with the scale-beam and beam-support of a horizontal shaft, a conical dial concentric with said shaft, a flat circular dial disposed transversely to and concentric with said shaft, connections between the scale-beam and said dials for rotating the latter, said flat dial and conical dial being contiguous and together forming a cone, and a cone-shaped casing closely fitting over said dials, the connections from the dials to the scale-beam being located between the said flat dial and the adjacent portion of the casing, and said casing having apertures therein through which the dials may be read, and transparent glass plates covering said apertures and having a reading-line marked thereon, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. BLESSING.

lVi tnesses:

OLrvEn L. PLUMTREE, HOWARD M. Cox. 

